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Liverpool are ready to rival Arsenal for the signing of Bernd Leno this summer as they search for a replacement for Loris Karius following his blunders in the Champions League final

According to reports from German publication SportBILD, Premier League giants Liverpool have been linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The German international is highly tipped to leave the Bundesliga this summer, with Arsenal also displaying great interest.

For Liverpool, it’s another day and another goalkeeper rumour as the Merseyside giants have been linked with a plethora of keepers in the past couple of seasons. The Reds are readying a €25m bid on the table for Bernd Leno, who was reportedly told he can leave Bayer if their asking price is met this summer.

In fact, die werkself have already signed his replacement in the shape of Lukas Hradecky, who signed a five-year contract with the club last month. The Finland international has provided great service for Eintracht Frankfurt in goal, helping them win the DFB Pokal last season whilst becoming a crucial part of their incredible renaissance under Niko Kovac. He is tipped to replace Bernd Leno in goal next season.

Liverpool, on the other hand, have lacked the presence of a reliable goalkeeper within their ranks. The duo of Simon Mignolet and Karius have appeared tentative in crunch games, often leaving the Reds hapless in crucial moments of the season. Karius’s mistakes against Real Madrid proved to be the difference between the two sides as Los Blancos secured their 13th European triumph beating Liverpool in the final. Therefore, the addition of a top quality keeper should be imperative for the Reds this summer.

Leno has been told he is not wanted at Bayer (Photo by Matthias Kern/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Leno, who was regarded as one of the top German goalkeepers in the last five years or so, has seen a steady downfall in his stock within these past three years. His mediocre performances with Leverkusen have affected them, which coincided with their shocking demise in the 2016/17 season.

Following his omission from the Germany national team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Leno, himself will be eager to prove himself in the Premier League.However, that being said, making a move for this highly rated Bayer Leverkusen keeper might not necessarily be a wise decision from Liverpool.

As mentioned earlier, the German international has failed to live up to his potential in the past few years and despite enjoying a relatively good campaign under Heiko Herrlich last season, signing him would still be a massive gamble from Liverpool’s point of view.

In fact, Leno’s howlers have become quite regular. While his epic blooper against FC Augsburg created quite a stir on social media back in 2015, Leno’s mistake against Dortmund also cost them the match later that year.

In short, the 26-year-old often lacks focus in big matches and apparently has a bad positioning sense too, making him no different than the current crop of Liverpool keepers. Hence, the Merseyside giants should do well to drop their interest in the services of the keeper and should instead look for other viable alternatives in the market right now.